July 2012

UPDATE: IOC has blocked this video. Boo. Maybe the IOC doesn’t want every performer embedding videos into their costume, but this video seemed pretty harmless and gave an interesting “in the scene” look at the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

When anthropologists study cultures like the Matsigenkas’, they tend to see patterns. The Matsigenka prize hard work and self-sufficiency. Their daily rituals, their child-rearing practices, and even their folktales reinforce these values, which have an obvious utility for subsistence farmers. Matsigenka stories often feature characters undone by laziness; kids who still don’t get the message are rubbed with an itch-inducing plant.

Nothing like an itch-inducing plant to get your kids attention. It’s an interesting article and should make every parent think about the way they’re raising their kids.